Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Penang and Austin, TX

For one person, living is cheaper in Penang: $839 a month against $2,704 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $22,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

41

Cost of Living Index in Penang
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Penang Living Index
129

Cost of Living Index in Austin, TX
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Austin, TX Living Index

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Penang

🇲🇾 Malaysia

$839

/mo nomad

Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,704

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Penang and in Austin, TX

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Penang and in Austin, TX actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $839 in Penang versus $2,704 in Austin, TX.

Penang $839
Austin, TX $2,704

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,314 in Penang versus $4,133 in Austin, TX.

Penang $1,314
Austin, TX $4,133

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,790 in Penang versus $5,562 in Austin, TX.

Penang $1,790
Austin, TX $5,562

Living in Penang costs roughly 69% less than in Austin, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Penang is 37% below, Austin, TX is 102% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.58 MYR 14.65

$20.22 $20.22

-82.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.84 MYR 81.1

$85.0 $85.0

-76.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.58 MYR 18.71

$12.35 $12.35

-62.91%

Cappuccino

$3.04 MYR 12.42

$5.47 $5.47

-44.42%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 MYR 2.98

$3.82 $3.82

-80.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 MYR 1.59

$2.50 $2.50

-84.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.18 MYR 17.07

$8.06 $8.06

-48.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.32 MYR 17.65

$8.99 $8.99

-51.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 MYR 7.72

$1.13 $1.13

67.26%

White Bread (500g)

$1.08 MYR 4.42

$3.78 $3.78

-71.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MYR 7.24

$3.25 $3.25

-45.54%

Eggs

$2.23 MYR 9.11

$4.14 $4.14

-46.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.69 MYR 56.0

$13.08 $13.08

4.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.29 MYR 17.53

$14.31 $14.31

-70.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.60 MYR 35.16

$15.96 $15.96

-46.12%

Apples (1kg)

$3.04 MYR 12.43

$4.38 $4.38

-30.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 MYR 6.97

$1.45 $1.45

17.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.67 MYR 10.91

$4.54 $4.54

-41.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.47 MYR 6.01

$4.19 $4.19

-64.92%

Potato (1kg)

$1.09 MYR 4.47

$2.63 $2.63

-58.56%

Onion (1kg)

$1.07 MYR 4.39

$2.36 $2.36

-54.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.14 MYR 4.67

$1.76 $1.76

-35.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 MYR 2.31

$2.16 $2.16

-73.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.62 MYR 18.89

$9.81 $9.81

-52.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.29 MYR 78.9

$14.72 $14.72

31.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.93 MYR 11.96

$2.78 $2.78

5.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.37 MYR 21.95

$3.48 $3.48

54.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MYR 2.08

$1.49 $1.49

-65.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.30 MYR 50.3

$40.51 $40.51

-69.64%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.75 MYR 7.17

$2.67 $2.67

-34.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.37 MYR 1.52

$1.58 $1.58

-76.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.27 MYR 29.72

$35.29 $35.29

-79.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 MYR 3.86

$0.99 $0.99

-5.05%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$41.0K MYR 167.4K

$35.8K $35.8K

14.39%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$34.9K MYR 142.6K

$27.2K $27.2K

28.32%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$36.55 MYR 149

$219 $219

-83.33%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$9.97 MYR 40.75

$58.0 $58.0

-82.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.32 MYR 120

$68.4 $68.4

-57.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.81 MYR 159

$57.9 $57.9

-32.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.98 MYR 20.35

$14.82 $14.82

-66.40%

Cinema Ticket

$4.87 MYR 19.92

$14.13 $14.13

-65.53%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$430 MYR 1,757

$1,509 $1,509

-71.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.8K MYR 44.2K

$21.5K $21.5K

-49.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.3 MYR 246

$51.7 $51.7

16.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.26 MYR 144

$44.05 $44.05

-19.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.5 MYR 341

$85.1 $85.1

-1.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.8 MYR 285

$105 $105

-33.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$402 MYR 1,643

$1,932 $1,932

-79.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$232 MYR 950

$1,272 $1,272

-81.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$621 MYR 2,537

$3,670 $3,670

-83.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$410 MYR 1,678

$2,525 $2,525

-83.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,212 MYR 9,045

$7,617 $7,617

-70.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,057 MYR 4,323

$3,199 $3,199

-66.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$943 MYR 3,855

$5,105 $5,105

-81.52%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.04

6.79

-40.50%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Penang: October 5, 2026

Last update for Austin, TX: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Groceries & Markets

Penang

$258 30.1%

Austin, TX

$403 15.3% 56% $145

Accommodation & Living

Penang

$232 27.1%

Austin, TX

$1.3K 48.2% 448% $1K

Eating Out

Penang

$113 13.2%

Austin, TX

$348 13.2% 208% $235

Clothing & Footwear

Penang

$112 13.1%

Austin, TX

$129 4.9% 15% $17

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Penang

$76 8.8%

Austin, TX

$346 13.1% 356% $270

Sport & Entertainment

Penang

$49 5.7%

Austin, TX

$86 3.3% 77.5% $38

Getting Around

Penang

$18 2.1%

Austin, TX

$57 2.2% 218% $39

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $402 in Penang and $1,932 in Austin, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 441% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $20.00 in Penang vs $85.0 in Austin, TX for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $258 vs $403 per month, with Penang cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇲🇾 Penang

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🕒 Local time

13:35 1:35 PM

00:35 12:35 AM

13 h behind Penang

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

158,336

974,447

💱 Currency

Malaysian Ringgit MYR RM

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 MYR = 0.245 USD

1 MYR = 0.218 EUR

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to MYR – Malaysian Ringgit Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇲🇾 Malaysian Ringgit (RM)

Malaysian Ringgit exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 4.09 MYR (1 MYR = 0.245 USD). 1 EUR = 4.59 MYR (1 MYR = 0.218 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.892 EUR).

USD to MYR in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Penang Austin, TX 15,610 km ≈ 20 h nonstop flight

From you

Penang
Austin, TX

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Penang vs Austin, TX: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Penang wins on cost – living expenses run 222% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Penang the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 441% lower in Austin, TX. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $402 in Penang versus $1,932 in Austin, TX. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $839 per month in Penang versus $2,704 in Austin, TX – a 222% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Penang runs roughly 229% less than in Austin, TX. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $839 in Penang versus $2,704 in Austin, TX, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Penang but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Penang the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Penang delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $839 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Penang hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Penang and Austin, TX are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Penang gentler on the wallet – expenses run 222% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.